"Making Less"

Lisa Benson

It’s called synesthesia :) I have it.

Samm Cobiskey

Thank you Charles and Shanae for your comments! Shanae, you hit the nail on the head for sure, I couldn't find the words but I wholeheartedly agree. Seeing testimonials from people who emphasised those points would have been gold and I think it would have helped make the message of the movie much stronger and more moving.

Hi Samm, I wanted to reiterate some of your points because I felt very strongly about this. The film seemed to be a re-do of the original introduction to Minimalism. I was hoping it would give us long-term minimalists some inspiration for what a "meaningful life" might look like, after the decluttering is over. I would have loved to see how people are living their lives now that they have shifted beyond consumerism. Think family, travel, exercise, career changes, mindfulness, charity, creativity.... All the anecdotes given were extremely vague, over webcam, and focussed on people now having less "stuff" with no real indication on the consequences of that to their daily life.

MostlyCharlie

The use (over-use perhaps?) of the word “stuff” definitely jumped out at me. I thought the film was deeply moving at certain parts, but I agree that I wish there was a bit more focus on intentionality, meaning, and values rather than focusing so much on consumerism.

Samm Cobiskey

Hey Josh and Ryan, long time viewer/listener here. When I moved to Portland in 2018, with $12 in my pocket after rent and canned food the cupboards of my 200 sq/ft studio apartment, I wanted a new start, but was lost and sort of clueless. Your message really helped me find balance in my life and live more with intention, and I soon realized that minimalism isn't just about the stuff (though for me, it was a great place to start). That really helped me in a time where I needed it most, and I thank you. The only gripe both my girlfriend and I shared about watching your newest film was the emphasis on "stuff" (sounds funny, but hear me out). I know that anyone, no matter their socioeconomic status/upbringing can benefit from minimalism in a major way, and that owning the things that only bring value to your life can give you the means to contribute beyond yourself. I feel like those points weren't really touched on much in this new film. You certainly mentioned them, but I feel like the biggest benefits of minimalism don't necessarily come with just owning less, but the intention behind why, and how it can apply to relationships, work and so on. Am I totally off-base here? Was this intended to be more of a jumping-off point for people who are new to minimalism in hopes that it could lead them "down the rabbit hole" and read more into it? Or did I miss a bigger meaning here? Love your work, it continues to add value to my life and I look forward to reading your new book!